MAXINE GORDON mixes two favourite treats in this dessert.

EVERYONE loves crumble and everyone loves sponge. In winter, a fruit crumble or a sponge pudding is just what’s called for to cheer us all up - with lashings of warm custard.

This week I decided to have both desserts and eat them when I concocted this fruit crumble cake.

It’s really easy to make and best of all tastes great warm with custard or some thick cream or ice-cream, but is equally yummy served cold with a nice pot of tea in the afternoon.

It’s easily made gluten-free, just use a gluten-free plain flour and baking powder (I use Dove’s Farm).

Fruit crumble cake

For the crumble:
125g (4 ½  oz) butter
125g (4 ½  oz) ground almonds
190g (6 ½  oz) plain flour
125g (4 ½  oz) sugar
Chopped nuts (optional)
Crumb butter and flour together then add sugar, almonds and nuts if using (I added what I had in cupboard, chopped walnuts and sliced almonds)

Fruit:
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 punnet raspberries
1 punnet blueberries

Sponge:
8oz butter
8 oz caster sugar
8 oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
½  tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Cream butter and sugar, then add alternate eggs and flour and fold until mixed. Add baking powder and vanilla extract.

Assemble: Grease spring form cake tin and line with baking parchment.

Press crumble firmly into base. Layer apples on top then the berries. Finally, spread sponge mix on top.

Bake in pre-heated oven (170c) for about 50-60 mins.

Check after 30 mins and if brown, cover top with piece of baking parchment. When ready, the top will be firm and a skewer inserted will come out clean.

Remove from oven and leave to rest for ten minutes before or serving warm.

Can be re-heated for later or eaten cold.

Twitter: @MaxineYGordon